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    <title>
      Launching a Java program in debug mode
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    <h1>
      Launching a Java program in debug mode
    </h1>
    <p>
      Launching a program in debug mode allows you to suspend and resume the
      program, inspect variables, and evaluate expressions using the debugger.
    </p>
    <p>
      To launch a Java program in debug mode,
    </p>

    <ol>
      <li>In the <strong>Package Explorer</strong>, select the Java compilation
      unit or class file with the main method you want to launch.
      </li>
      <li>Press the <strong>Debug</strong> [ <img src=
      "../images/org.eclipse.debug.ui/etool16/debug_exc.svg" width="16"
        height="16" alt="The Debug button" /> ] button in the workbench toolbar
        or select <strong>Run &gt; Debug</strong> from the workbench menu bar.
        Alternatively you can select <strong>Run &gt; Debug As &gt; Java
        Application</strong> from the workbench menu bar, or select
        <strong>Debug As &gt; Java Application</strong> in the <strong>Package
        Explorer</strong> pop-up menu or in the drop-down menu on the
        <strong>Debug</strong> tool bar button.
      </li>

      <li>Your program is now launched and the launched process appears in the
      Debug view.&nbsp;
      </li>
    </ol>
    <p>
      If you want your program to stop in the <em>main</em> method so that you
      can step through its complete execution, create a <strong>Java
      Application</strong> launch configuration and check the <strong>Stop in
      main</strong> checkbox on the <strong>Main</strong> tab.&nbsp;

    </p>
    <p>
      You can also debug a Java program by selecting a project instead of the
      compilation unit or class file.&nbsp; You will be prompted to select a
      class from those classes that define a <em>main</em> method.&nbsp; (If
      only one class with a main method is found in the project, that class is
      launched as if you selected it.)
    </p>

    <h3 class="related">Related concepts</h3>
      <a href="../concepts/concept-java-views.htm">Java views</a><br />
      <a href="../concepts/concept-java-editor.htm">Java editor</a><br />
      <a href="../concepts/cdebugger.htm">Debugger</a>

    <h3 class="related">Related tasks</h3>
      <a href="task-remotejava_launch_config.htm">Connecting to a remote VM
      with the Java Remote Application launcher</a><br />
      <a href="task-relaunch_program.htm">Re-launching a program</a><br />
      <a href="task-running_and_debugging.htm">Running and debugging</a><br />
      <a href="../tasks/tasks-executionArgs.htm">Setting execution
      arguments</a><br />
      <a href="task-stepping.htm">Stepping through the execution of a
      program</a><br />

    <h3 class="related">Related reference</h3>
      <a href="../reference/views/debug/ref-debug_view.htm">Debug
      view</a><br />
      <a href="../reference/views/ref-view-package-explorer.htm">Package
      Explorer</a><br />
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